Saturday, 31 January 2009

Having tried out my own 50's hair stylings last weekend, I decided to take a look at London's underground hair salons that specialise in retro hair styling. I came across two specific salons - Nina's Hair Parlour and the brand new It's Something Hells - a French retro hair salon.

Looking first at the London fashionista choice of retro salon - Nina's Hair Parlour. This is based in Marylebone - 13-25 Church Street to be precise. Here is what the website says

Nina's Hair Parlour is the first UK specialist in vintage and retro hair and beauty. We help men and women indulge in the glamour and decadence of years gone by in an authentic and one of a kind salon. Within the parlour we stock a number of handpicked, rare and original period hats from the 1930's-1960's, extravagant and unique hair accessories and Retro L'Amour snoods, all of which are available for sale and hire.

Nina's Hair Parlour is committed to sharing our skills with people who enjoy the exotic, theatrical and glamorous, those who want to indulge in fantasy or take a fun journey of true self expression to another era.

Prices start at £35 for a set and style to £45 for a cut and set, men can get a cut and style for £25. You can also take a 3 hour vintage hair and make up class where you learn how to do it all yourself, it costs £200 so its not cheap but this is what you get:

1-2-1 Vintage Hair/Make up Super Class - £2003 hrs

The class involves:1) A haircut and finished style2) An old fashioned set under the original 1950's dryer, accompanied by the glass of champagne and chocolate truffles3) A tailored lesson on how to do 3 styles of your choice (except fingerwaving). You will be required to supply us with the examples in advance4) A make up class with a professional make up artist relevant to an era of your choice.

You can also get make up lessons, a quick hair and make up sesh for £60 if you want to be 'done' before you go out one night. There are loads of tailor made lessons you can get at Nina's.

French Vogue, The Guardian, London Paper. Italian Vogue and Elle are all fans, I am desperate to go for a set.

Now onto It's Something Hell's on London's Carnaby Street, part owned by Miss Betty and Mister Ducktail who specialise in vintage coiffures and switchblade haircuts respectively. Having opened originally in France in 2001, their success led to a further shop in the heart of London's West End, Carnaby Street. Miss Betty's secret to retro hair is Elnett hairspray. Prices start at £15 - not quite so much to say here as I did about Nina's Hair Parlour due to the lack of any real website, hopefully one will turn up soon.

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

You may have heard on the grapevine that Ponystep was going to have a monthly residency in a Parisian night club, the first one took place on Sunday (before the Paris fashion week kicked off) and there are lots of brilliant photos up on dirtydirtydancing

So are the French really more stylish than us Brits? Its difficult to tell as their are lots of London faces amongst the photos, why dont you check out he ones I picked out below and have a look see.

Ok, so it may be a little strong to describe my shopping habit as Satan, but you know, it is getting pretty bad!

Today I received the Urbo mailout and now I just have to cross the road from my office over to Oxford Street and pop in because I am obsessed with their legging jeans. Apparently they dont bag at the knee or sag at the bum - they sound too good to be true right!

I'm also a little bit obsessed with these Balmain rip offs - on the website for a mere 9.99 again too good to be true?

Brought to you by London¹s most adventurous and daring promoters - Eat Your Own Ears, Adventures In The Beetroot Field, Bugged Out! Field Day will bring you the most cutting edge line up of bands and DJs in the 2009 Festival season. The heart of East London will be transformed into a Village Fete; 'Village Mentality', a Village Green area within the festival will supply the masses with some countrified fun and games away from sound systems and stages. Try your luck on the tombola, crack a few nuts on the coconut shy - or just sit on some haybales and stuff your face with homemade cake. Inspired by summer sports days and country fetes - Field Day's very own village green will host stalls and activities throughout the daytime, ranging from sack-racing, to whack-the-rat, Bowling for Bacon and lots more to be announced. Come along, have fun, eat baked goods, and as the country saying goes - "be like an ant in the days of summer'

EVENT INFORMATION:

FIELD DAY 2009VICTORIA PARK, LONDON E9SATURDAY 1ST AUGUST11.30 10.30PM

Tuesday, 27 January 2009

You may have read in numerous newspapers about the Balmain jeans that are flying off the shelves at the mo, Harrods have a waiting list for them oh, and they are starting at £1000, yep. These are white jeans may I add.

So why so expensive Christophe Decarnin? Its the workmanship apparently - the jeans are made like motorbike leathers and therefore have lots of piping detail and big metal zips on the pockets and ankles.

The Telegraph fashion intern got to road test a pair (luck!) you can read her article here, in summary, I can tell you that she didn't like them but does add that they are the last pair in London.

Imagine how many fashion editors / models / celebs have shoe horned themselves into them for a night? Hmmm.

Monday, 26 January 2009

For those who don't know, I live on Columbia Road in Shoreditch, which hosts the weekly and legendary Columbia Road flower market every Sunday. This attracts loads and loads of people to the street which is quiet and empty most of the time.

My sister and I had a gander down to check out the shops this week and it was so beautiful, the perfect antidote to a miserable grey Sunday morning. We were drawn to Ryantown, Rob Ryan's shop which sells his limited edition designs.

I checked out his blog today and noticed that he currently has cards up for sale in aid of the charity, Contact The Elderly - you can buy a pack of the ten designs above for 5.50, which is a steal when you look at the money some of his designs go for. So whether you are looking for a collectors item or just want to help out a great charity you should grab yourself a pack - they can be ordered by telephone on 020 7240 0630 or email info@contact-the-elderly.org.uk

Sunday, 25 January 2009

I got an email from the lovely people at Covert Candy the other day, letting me know all about the brand new website - covertcandy.co.uk

It's like an online Visa Swap, where you upload your items and swap them with other users for credits, you then use your credits to purchase something from someone else's wardrobe. No money ever changes hands (although I guess postage comes from somewhere) pretty nifty eh!

I have signed up, so i'll let you know how I go, if you go on look for me!

I have been rubbish again this weekend and totally neglected to tell everyone (and to go to myself) about the jumble sale today at The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch, spending my time on Columbia Road market was lovely though.

I can tell you. however that The East End Thrift Store will be holding a party on Thursday night where they will be unveiling their brand new stock, here is what they are saying:

IT'S NEARLY THE END OF THE MONTH, AND AS YOU KNOW THAT CAN ONLY MEAN ONE THING FOR US > LATE NIGHT SHOPPING PARTY TIME!!!

THURSDAY 29TH JANUARY, FROM 7PM TO LATE.

TONNES OF BRAND-SPANKING-NEW GORGEOUS VINTAGE STOCK SHALL BE OUT AND READY FOR YOUR PURCHASING PLEASURE.

I walked past brand new singing sensation VV Brown this week and couldn't help but marvel at her 50's fringe - I'm not sure if there is a proper name for them but the curled under short vibe ones - anyway, I couldn't help but give it a go and as you can see above my results were pretty good.

I definitely overdid the hairspray, there was no way it was going to fall out of place, however, it was a bit crunchy!

Below is my outfit for an 80's party I went to on Saturday night, see what you think, 50s hair at an 80s party is a bit of a decade clash I know but I was a bit proud of it!

Dress - Beyond RetroBoots - New Look - you can't really see them hereScarf - my Gran's - does that make it Vintage? I think so, she donated my sister and I a whole bag each a couple of years ago and they are simply DIVINE

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

If I wasn't taking a client to be on Richard & Just tonight I would be at the below like a shot!

My Sugarland launches the first of many events to be held at the boutique in 2009, an end of Autumn/Winter season personal styling and discount evening. The event will advise you how to make the most of sale purchases so that they take you through the next season, how to mix together vintage with designer, dressing for your body shape, colours and style and making the most of versatile wardrobe essentials.

There will be a talk by celebrity/fashion stylist Zoe Lem, a team of stylists to advise you whilst shopping, make-up advice from a fashion/celebrity make-up artist and a glass of wine. It is a chance to make the most of the Autumn/Winter sale on all designer clothing and accessories, to discover some of the exciting labels and designers on offer at My Sugarland many of which are exclusive to the store and to generally have a fun and inspiring evening. As a taster evening there is no charge for this first event .

There is already up to 50% off all new clothing and accessories but if you purchase three or more items on the night you will receive a further 10% off. Designers include PPQ, Armand Basi, Qasimi, SteveJ & YoniP, Belle Sauvage, Hoss Intropia, Terri de Haviland, Mawi, Jenny Dyer, Jacob Kimmie, Evie Belle, Comfort Station and many more.

The evening will kick off at 6.30pm for a glass of wine a mingle and a browse followed by a talk at 7pm by Zoe Lem concluded by much shopping and chatting.

There will be regular events held at My Sugarland in the future so come and be a part of the inaugural evening or to hire My Sugarland for an event of your own please email or call on: info@mysugarland.co.uk Tel: 0207 8417131

Sunday, 18 January 2009

Silly me, turns out the freelancer's fashion blog tagged me back in September to see what I was listening to, well, I can't remember exactly what I was listening to back in September BUT at the moment I am currently listening to:

1. Empire of the Sun - their new album is being massively hyped and hmmm, I'm not so sure that it has more than two good songs so I'm listening to it lots to make up my mind.

2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion - I have got it today, its supposed to be AMAZING, I'll let you know

3. La Roux - because I cannot get Quicksand out of my head - more songs please!

4. Ladyhawke - love love love that album

5. Friendly Fires - only just got the album, durrr

6. Grace Jones - love the new album, William's Blood is fantastic

7. Lily Allen - I'm actually really excited about the new album and can't tear myself away from her MySpace when at work

8. Andrew Bird - just discovered him (totally late) on my Spotify

I really want to hear the new Casiotone for the Painfully Alone album too

I'm very excited to receive my first ever tag from the lovely Christina Sanders who writes a sense sublime blog So the way this works is that I get tagged and tell you all six random facts about myself and then tag other blogs I love, so here goes.

1. I am a massive Whitney Houston fan - I told my boyfriend was my first tag and he thought I said I was a massive willy fan, amazing.

2. I am addicted to painting my nails after reading an interview with a lady who's Mum was a Bollywood actress, she believed that she was not fully dressed until her nails were done.

3. I have a random fear of bones touching, the thought of ankles knocking together makes me feel sick.

4. I REALLY want a dog.

5. I'm a bit scared that when I have a baby it will just roll out of me and look like one of those hairy creatures that were on the Sprite advert

6. My first ambition in life was to be a Top of the Pops dancer

Now it didn't take me long to think about these and I could go one FOREVER but maybe that just makes me a little bit mad? Who knows.

So it's been a while since my rant about fashion magazines, but I caught myself immersing my brain in Look Magazine today and you know what, it was pretty ace. The clothes are affordable - much needed in January and yet the shoots still make the outfits look expensive.

Plus the models have fantastic make up and the hair is totally on trend, the website is pretty good too. Check it out for a look of the day as well make up ideas.

Thursday, 15 January 2009

My favourite new band in the world are the brilliant Tin Can Telephone, founding member Andy used to be in Stricken City for while, he's a friend of the band and helped out on bass until they found someone full time, before that he was in TigerForce.He recorded the whole set in his bedroom however live he takes a band with him.

The band are comprised of a lot of people from various places and the sound they make is glorious (they have a cowbell and flute as well as a fiddle), on some songs you think you can sum them up as an emo Vampire Weekend but then their sound goes totally lo fi and drum machines beat an even bigger smile on your brain.

Go see them live or buy Spak Attack and cheer yourself when you are having a dismal day, they're on facebook

Ooh excuse my tardiness over the last few days, I have been off the hook busy with work.

I thought I would return to blogging with some photos of Saturday nights Rich History night at Bloomsbury Bowling Alley which I am massively gutted to have missed. Photographer Ben Rayner hosted the karaoke before all took to the hot tub and had a dance to some amazing DJs.

Friday, 9 January 2009

Skins is returning to E4 on 22nd January and I am super excited - due to my obsession with the show. This year Effy (Tony's sister) is the leader of the gang - I wanted to say main protagonist but that tends to change with each episode as they focus on one character per week.

Effy is hot and her styling is bound to be amazing in series 3, below are photos of Katie Fitch and Emily, both of whom I shall be watching with baited breath as I think their outfits will be hot to trot.

Hurry up Skins 3 - NME Radio also mentioned today it would be hosting Skins Radio, which features sessions from bands whose music appears on the show including Filthy Dukes. worth a listen.

Thursday, 8 January 2009

I love a good brand story - Marmite at The Dorchester? Just brilliant.

Two Great British institutions; Marmite and The Dorchester, are set to form the quintessentially British partnership of 2009, as they team up in January to serve the first ever Marmite afternoon tea.

For a limited time only, The Dorchester's award-winning afternoon tea will begin with a selection of finger sandwiches that includes delicately sliced cucumber sandwiches with the addition of the nation's most beloved (and hated!) Marmite. Afternoon tea then continues with warm Dorchester-baked scones served with jams and Devonshire clotted cream before the piece de resistance - a selection of pastries and cakes created by The Dorchester's team of pastry chefs.

Served in The Dorchester's elegant, sophisticated Promenade for a limited time only (January 12th - 25th January 2009), guests will enjoy a truly decadent yet original 'Marmite flavoured' experience. To reserve a table for the Marmite afternoon tea at The Dorchester between 12th and 25th January, please telephone 020 7629 8888 or email restaurants@thedorchester.com. Reservations can also be made on www.thedorchester.com.

Afternoon tea at The Dorchester is priced at £31.50 per person or £40.50 for Champagne afternoon tea. So it may not be cheap but it sure is the perfect treat for mum and dad if you didn't sort them out with christmas swag!

Tuesday, 6 January 2009

The magazine industry is in trouble, advertising revenues are decreasing rapidly and blogs like this offer instant information for free. I personally, still love immersing myself in a good magazine, Elle and Vogue are my mainstays alongside Dazed & iD, Grazia is a weekly I regularly read, however, I am not target audience, too young for one, too poor for another! However, it still fulfils an aspirational hole in the weekly magazine market.

The Guardian Media section reported that forecasters are looking closely at subscription levels in the next few months and specifically mentions Grazia as a magazine that could fare well in the coming months' further recession. According to Guardian writer Oliver Luft the magazine will need to tailor it's content towards a mass market if it wants to increase its circulation and close in on the former monthly market:

"Bauer's weekly high end fashion magazine, Grazia, might prove an unusual kind of bellweather in the coming year. If it wants - or needs - to increate circulation it will need to run editorial that appeals more to a mass market. But mass market editorial could put off some of its more luxurious advertisers. Watching where Grazia's priorities lie during the next 12 months may tell you about the confidence of the sector."

Now I agree that luxury advertising may well be put off by any potential change in content, I would go further to say that it's not only them but also readers like myself who will also be put off. However, the cover of Grazia puts me off some weeks, the celebrity baiting front covers don't reflect the content inside the magazine. For me, Grazia's covers give the impression of being in the confused middle ground between celebrity magazine (that's what sells) and high fashion (which, clearly doesn't).

Is this the future of the fashion magazine? Appeal to the masses in order to keep sales to a maximum? It certainly seems that way, only last week Amelia's Magazine announced it's imminent demise - yes it was only destined for a ten issue print run but I am still in mourning for my favourite magazine which I see as a collectors item.

Look magazine is a magazine that I enjoy reading when on occasion I pick it up but its not a publication I would buy over Grazia or Dazed. Why is this? I don't think its snobbery, I think the fashion is purposely more obtainable (ie high street) and that's not what I want, but I also think it's my desire to lose myself in a magazine, feel the heavy stock of paper, see super skinny girls in clothes I cannot afford but can imitate with less expensive versions.

I'm really interested to find out what other people think about magazines - do you read magazines so you can lose yourself in the editorial or because you want to find out the best clothes out there on the high street? Would mainstream content in currently high fashion magazines lead you to put them back on the shelf? It certainly would for me. That's why I wait with baited breath for the brand new Conde Nast publication Love and will continue to buy magazines that appeal to me as a lover of fashion I cannot afford and an escapist.

I think its a girl thing, or maybe just a me thing, but occassionally I develop a massive interest in the lives of people I don't know, today it's Elle magazine's Ellen Burney. I blame hours pouring over Elle and blame last month's Courtney Love issue in particular in which Ellen wrote about personal stylists on the high street and getting an Alexa Chung 'do. I like the way she writes, its nu school Elle and fun, a girl who obviously enjoys edgy fashion and can be pretty catty / caustic. In this month's issue (Kate Winslet on the cover) she writes about savvy sale shopping.

Oh the girl also brought my attention to the Urban Outfitters leopard print specs and their Bass brogues, thanks!

Yep, I googled her and found this picture but Ellen, if you're reading this, don't worry I am not about to hunt you down. The above street style photo of Ellen shows her at work in a great PPQ coat and details her love for Margot Tennenbaum.

Sunday, 4 January 2009

Ponystep New Year's Eve White Wedding party pictures are now up on DirtyDirtyDancing I am a bit sad I didn't go along but staying in the countryside in front of a log fire with Winter Pimms basically on tap was far too appealing.